Surviving the Nobility
by AoiCherry
Summary: A girl of Chinese descent finds herself in Heian-kyo, the capital of Heian Japan. Having lost all her memories except her name, Tenten decides to start a new life with her first friend, Sakura. All was peaceful...until Tenten decides to pick a fight with a one of the Hyuuga nobles...and soon finds herself being forced to be the Hyuugas' personal attendant!
1. Prologue: A New Home

**So… I wanted to try and write a story using a different main character, and I decided that I would like that person to be… Tenten! As much as I love Sakura, I'd also like to give Tenten some spotlight, since she doesn't have much screen time in the manga. ^_^**

**I also enjoyed reading some Tenten-centric fanfics. Since I've opened up to many other pairings in "Naruto", I may be experimenting with a couple that I have never written about before, but that's for you, the readers, to decide. I'll ask that question at the end. For now, please enjoy this story, Tenten-fans! =D **

**By the way, I did a lot of reading on the Heian Era before writing this fic… O_o. However, some facts may not be right, since I'm writing a fiction story after all. I'm still trying to create that sense of "historical fiction" in this story, though.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. **

* * *

**Prologue: A New Home**

A young child about ten years of age dragged her feet along the path laid in front of her using her remaining strength. Leaves and clumps of dirt stuck out of her waist length brown hair while her normally pale face was dirtied by dust. The piece of Chinese clothing that adorned her body as now torn at the waist, exposing the girl's bare skin, coupled with bright red blood, through a long slit. Tightening her grip on the small sack she had be pulling along, she swung the bag over her shoulder and kept walking, not even knowing where the road will take her.

Soon, the strong smell of freshly caught fish invaded her nostrils, causing the young brunette to pinch the bridge of her nose. The looked ahead and found herself staring at a hoard of people walking around, examining the goods laid out by the stall keepers, and exchanging food for other necessities, such as a silk sash.

Having nowhere else to go, the girl ran into the crowd, immediately mingling with the adults around her. A few minutes later, the girl concluded mentally that she had made a stupid decision. The older and stronger adults kept walking, bumping into her and pushing her out of the way, by force if necessary. Not one of them gave a second glance at the young girl in a red qi-pao, who was now sprawled on the ground with tears streaming down her cheeks. Silently, she cursed in Chinese at the adults who were walking all around her, not even caring enough to help her up.

"Ah, hey, are you okay?"

The young brunette raised her head, just to find herself face to face with another girl her age, who was crouched down, and had short, light pink hair paired with eyes that reminded her of emeralds. The brunette cocked her head to the side, not understanding a word the Japanese girl said.

"Here." The rosette gently grabbed the brunette's dirty and blood stained fingers and helped her get up. The Japanese girl then led the brunette out of the crowd quickly, as if she knew the place like the back of her hand.

Once they were out of the bustling market, the pink haired girl extended her hand and introduced herself in Japanese. "My name's Sakura. Haruno, Sakura. What's yours?"

The other girl stared blankly at her and blinked a few times. She slowly shook her head to indicate that she didn't understand the language. She did, however, say something in Chinese.

"Wo men zai ri ben ma?" *

Now it was the Sakura's turn to act confused. She scratched her head, then folded her arms. "Um, okay. L-Let's try this." She pointed to herself and said slowly, "Sa-ku-ra." Then, the rosette pointed to the other girl and shrugged.

The brunette's mouth formed an "oh". She imitated Sakura's actions. Only this time, she said her own name.

"Tenten."

* * *

**Sorry for the extra, extra shortness of this prologue. I wanted to show how Sakura and Tenten met the first time. The other chapters will be much longer, I promise. The next chapter will fast forward to the future. Then… the fun will start. =D **

**"Wo men zai ri ben ma?"= Are we in Japan? **

**(I'm Chinese, so I should know. ^^) **

**So… what do you guys think? Please leave your reviews and tell me your opinions! Does this look like a promising start? The little button down the page is just begging to be pressed. =3**

**Finally, my question to you all is...**

**Do you guys want: **

**A) NejiTen with SasuSaku as a side pair**

**B) SasuTenJi triangle with NaruSaku as a side pair (If Sasutenji wins, I'll do my best to write it, since it's my first time writing something like that after all =3) **

**C) NejiTen with NaruSaku as a side pair**

**D) SasuTenJi with SasuSaku as a side pair in the end**

**Please tell me your choices in your reviews! Thanks for reading, and stay tuned for chapter two! **


	2. Can't Fight Against Them

**Thank you all for your reviews and votes! The poll for this story is still open, by the way! Please tell me your choices in your reviews! =) Now, the second chapter's done! So, readers, enjoy…reading! ^^**

* * *

**Surviving the Nobility**

**Chapter Two: Can't Fight Against Them**

"Sakura, it's my turn to go to the market right?"

An eighteen year old brunette wearing a plain white qi-pao peeked into the room where her first friend and roommate, Sakura, currently occupying. The rosette sat on the ground with her elbows on the short table, supporting the weight the of head as she bit her brush and pondered. Seeing that the rosette was extremely engrossed in her writing, the brunette nonchalantly waltzed in the room, her long hair flowing behind her, and plopped down beside Sakura.

Noticing the movement beside her, Sakura whipped her head to the side. "Oh hi Tenten."

"It's my turn to go to the market right?" the Chinese brunette repeated.

"Yeah. You remember list right?" Sakura reminded.

Tenten nodded. "Now we can surprise Tsunade-sama when she gets back home! She's always been looking after us."

Sakura laughed. "Yep! I just hope we won't mess up the cooking."

Tenten patted Sakura's back and assured her, "Don't worry about that. I'm sure we can pull through." Standing up, Tenten straightened her qi-pao and swiftly rolled her hair into two buns on the top off her head. She then grabbed a nearby sack, filled with goods and said, "I'm off!"

"See you!" Sakura echoed.

* * *

The hot rays of the summer sun beamed down on the city. As Tenten pushed her way through the crowd, she smirked, remembering the times when she wasn't even able to defend herself against the hoard of adults shoving her left and right. Now she's matured, and with the training she received from Tsunade, she could easily make anyone regret they ever messed with her.

The Chinese girl flitted from stall to stall, haggling with the merchants and exchanging food for other goods she and Sakura had, but didn't use anymore. Just after she finished arguing with the rice merchant, Tenten reached into her bag of goods and pulled out a small qi-pao. She stared at the piece of clothing and quickly remembered the first time she got to Heian-kyo.

* * *

After being helped by Sakura, the two quickly became friends, even though they spoke different languages. It was then that Sakura decided to bring Tenten to her home, which was only occupied by Tsunade, Sakura's adoptive mother, and Sakura herself. After extensive communication using body language, Sakura and Tenten soon started to understand each other. Tsunade decided to take Tenten's level of comprehension one step further by teaching her how to speak Japanese, with the help of Sakura's body language.

A few years later, as the girls matured, Tsunade decided that she would teach them self defense. Then and there, Sakura and Tenten developed their own fighting styles, with Sakura preferring to use brute force and Tenten deciding to master the art of weaponry. Under Tsunade's training, the two girls quickly developed the thought that women could be just as strong as men and that they didn't need to be pretty dolls that were just there for the men to take advantage of.

_"Yeah, those were hilarious times,"_ Tenten thought, smiling down at the small qi-pao.

"Lady, are you going to pay or not?"

Tenten snapped out of her stupor as she turned her attention back to the merchant, who was holding out a sack of rice. She quickly stuffed the qi-pao back into her bag and pulled out a small and old kimono instead. After receiving the rice, which was the last item on her list, Tenten swam her way out of the crowd again. Once she was free from the sea of people, Tenten happily ventured back home.

_"I can't wait for tonight! I hope Sakura and I can surprise Tsunade-sama," _Tenten wished as she started to turn a corner.

All of a sudden, a body flew past Tenten, right in front of her face, and slammed in a wall, which she was near. The next thing she knew, a kunai struck her sack, creating a hole for all the rice to drain out of. Tenten watched in horror as the rice she just bought flowed out of the bag effortlessly.

"What a rash decision."

Tenten whipped her head around to see whose voice that belonged to. That was when she first saw him.

With eyes as pale as pearls and long, smooth brown hair tied in a low ponytail, the man in front of her could easily make numerous women fall at his feet. The long sleeves of his _kimono_, as well as the white _hakama_, which are long, baggy trousers, he was wearing over the _kimono_, fluttered slightly as a breeze blew past him. The _clonk, clonk_ of his _geta,_ which are wooden sandals, echoed off the walls of the nearby houses as he walked past Tenten, to the person who was now sprawled on the floor, coughing.

He crouched down and took a hold of the defenseless man's _yukata_ and yanked him up. "DId you actually think you could beat me?" He then hurled the man away as if he was nothing. Tenten winced, feeling empathetic for the poor guy.

Before the long haired brunette could go any further in hurting the other man, Tenten dropped her sack and ran to the man's aid. She blocked the other brunette's path by getting in between him and the other man. "Hey, come on now. He's already hurt badly. What more do you have to do to be satisfied?"

"This is none of your concern, woman," retorted the pearl eyed male. "Do not speak unless you are spoken to."

"That's it!" Tenten exploded. She walked right up to the arrogant male and went up on her toes to match the man's height. "Don't think of women as just dolls you males can control."

"Women are merely fated to be under the guidance of their more powerful male counterparts."

Tenten's eyebrow twitched as she delivered a poorly executed haughty laugh. "What's wrong with you, you sexist bastard?"

"Are you sure you want to address me like that?" the man asked.

"What wrong with me talking to a rude bastard in an equally rude way?" Tenten retorted.

"You do not want to anger me, woman," The male threatened. "You will not be able to defeat me."

Tenten backed away and snuck her hands inside the small pockets of her qi-pao and brought out two small scrolls. "I can defeat you within seconds!"

When Tenten threw her scrolls in the air, the veins around her opponent's eyes became more obvious, his eyes narrowed and he crouched down, taking on a fighting stance. Once Tenten's scrolls unrolled and spiraled around each other, she jumped up between them and started her attack. Suddenly, a myriad of weapons came flying at the male, who was waiting for her to attack first. In the air, Tenten slightly hesitated.

_"Damn, I don't really want to be accused of murder right now." _After thinking back on how that man's sexist comment enraged her, she decided, _"I still have my pride as a woman on the line. Besides, I can always control my attacks." _

Just as the weapons got close enough to him, the male swiftly spun around, creating a dome of blue energy around him, which repelled every weapon Tenten threw at him. Once the weapons were back in the air, Neji stopped spinning.

Tenten smirked. She spread her hands and pulled her arms back, letting the weapons float in the air for a while. Using the invisible strings to control her weapons, she let them rain in her opponent once more. Once she was done, Tenten smirked, already smelling victory in her hands. She landed lightly, letting her scrolls roll back in her hands. As she walked to the man, lying face down with various weapons sticking out of his back, she started, "What do you think of girls now?"

Suddenly, Tenten felt someone behind her. Before she could react, he had already trapped both her hands behind his with one hand, and had his other hand outstretched, pointing at her neck, ready to immobilize her if necessary.

"How did you…" Tenten murmured. She looked at the "person" she attacked on the ground, which now disappeared into thin air with a "poof". She craned her neck to look at the person behind her. "A clone? How in the world can you make a clone?"

The brown haired male behind her smirked. "What makes you think I'll tell you?"

Tenten growled menacingly. A symbol on the man's _kimono_ caught her eyes. Her brown irises traveled down, and widened multiple times when she realized what the symbol was.

"Oh great," she muttered. "Don't tell you you're a Hyuuga."

"You finally realized it," the man said. He forcefully pushed Tenten away after letting go of her wrists. "I'm surprised though, that you are able to summon so many weapons. I have never seen anyone who is able to do such a feat."

"It's my fighting style," Tenten simply answered. "And if you still want to degrade women, I'll have my roommate pay a visit to you and tell her to break everything possible in your body and house."

The Hyuuga snickered. "You are quite rebellious. What is your name?"

Tenten blinked, hesitating slightly before answering, "Tenten, and you'd better remember it!"

"Neji," the Hyuuga offered. "Fighting you had been interesting." Without another word, Neji walked away.

"Geez, looks can be deceiving," Tenten murmured as she went back to her sack and picked it up, taking the remains of the food she bought back home.

* * *

"Tenten, what happened?" Sakura asked as soon as she saw Tenten's torn sack, disheveled hair, and slightly dirtied white qi-pao.

"Nothing big. Just got in a fight with a man who thinks women can't do anything," Tenten calmly answered. She carefully set the sack down on the low table and brought out the ingredients.

"Who was?" Sakura urged.

Tenten sighed and replied, "One of the Hyuugas."

At the name "Hyuuga", Sakura slapped her forehead. "The Hyuugas, Tenten? You know that they're one of the clans that control this city."

"Well they're not doing a very good job of it, considering the fact that more than two thirds of the city is in poverty," Tenten said. "Including us."

"I really don't want them to bring any trouble to us," Sakura murmured.

"Even if they do, we can fight them off," Tenten replied. "We're perfectly capable of taking care of ourselves."

"Yes, but you do remember that the Hyuuga clan can have the Uchiha clan's police force search us, right?" Sakura asked.

"Yeah, I know that," Tenten said, realizing that her picking a fight with one of the Hyuuga nobles was not really the greatest idea. "But I just wanted to show that not all women are completely useless, pretty dolls."

As Tenten sat down, Sakura accompanied her and tried to switch to a different subject. "Have you remembered anything from your childhood, yet?"

Tenten shook her head. "Nothing. All I remember is getting here and meeting you."

"Still no luck, huh?"

"No. I don't get it! How come I can't remember anything?"

Sakura wrapped a comforting arm around her friend's shoulders. "I'm sure your memories will return soon. For the time being, do you have any wounds that I need to heal?"

"No. I'm just gonna go take a short bath and clean up. I don't want Tsunade-sama to find out that I angered one of the nobles." Saying so, Tenten stood up, walked to the small bathroom, and closed the door behind her.

* * *

Once the sun set, Sakura and Tenten had finished cooking dinner out of the remaining ingredients Tenten brought back. Just after they finished setting the table with three, barely filled bowls of rice, a knock on the door caught their attention.

"I'll get it," Tenten volunteered, leaving Sakura to set the chopsticks and the rest of the food.

Tenten opened the door with a smile plastered on her face. "Tsunade-sama! Welcome…back…" Her voice trailed away when she saw that her adoptive mother wasn't alone.

"Tenten, what is the meaning of this?" Tsunade demanded, gesturing to three men behind her.

One of them came up to Tenten and asked, "You are Tenten, are you not?"

The brunette nodded. "Yes. What can I do for you?"

"By the orders of the Hyuuga family, you are now called upon to serve them."

Tenten stared at them with her mouth open. "Tsunade-sama, you can drive them away right? You're one of the most powerful fighters in this city after all!"

"I may have a lot of strength, but I don't have the authority," Tsunade replied cooly.

"Tenten, what's going on?" Sakura asked, coming up behind the brunette.

Ignoring Sakura, Tenten asked the men, "What exactly do I have to do?"

"You will come with us to the Hyuuga's palace, along with your little friend behind you."

Tenten scowled. "What does Sakura have to do with this? She wasn't even with me!"

"According to the young Hyuuga's words, you may have a 'roommate who will pay a visit to him and break everything possible in your body and house'," the second man answered.

"Damn it," Tenten cursed.

Sakura pushed her way in front of Tenten and said, "Look, you guys should leave us alone! We don't want anything to do with the Hyuugas or any of the noble families, so good night!"

"Sakura!" Tsunade shouted, making the rosette wince. "Do not raise your voice against the Uchiha Police Force."

"They're the Uchiha Police Force?" Tenten exclaimed.

"Yes, and we were asked by the young Hyuuga genius to retrieve you and your friend for precaution."

"What do you mean, precaution? Sakura and I have never committed a crime of any sort!" Tenten talked back.

"Tenten," Tsunade growled, this time making the brunette soften her voice.

"I'm sorry, but Sakura and I will not be going anywhere."

"You are a mere commoner," the last man of the group spoke. "You cannot defy orders from the nobles."

"Excuse us for a moment," Tsunade pleaded. She entered the house and brought Tenten and Sakura close. "I know both of you are headstrong females, but in this situation, you cannot disobey the nobles."

"But Tsunade-sama," Tenten objected. "We got that headstrong attitude from you."

Tsunade chuckled lowly. "Yes, but Tenten, be more mature about this. You can shout at them all you want, but it won't change a thing. You will only be bringing more trouble upon yourselves. The best thing to do is to hold your head high and accept. Then, if you are not happy, you can try to persuade the nobles to let you go."

Tenten's gaze on Tsunade hardened, but then looked away when she realized that there was no other way out of this except for violence. "Yes, Tsunade-sama. I will go, but Sakura has nothing to do with this."

"It's fine, Tenten," Sakura spoke. "If you're going, I'll come with you. We can kick their butts together!"

"But what about you, Tsunade-sama?" Tenten asked.

"I'll be fine, girls. Just, entertain the nobles for now. If you face danger in any way, feel free to fight back using everything you have," Tsunade encouraged.

"Of course!" Sakura piped up.

"I'll go tell them that we'll come," Tenten said, as she walked to the three men. Sakura scurried to another room to pack both hers and Tenten's clothes.

Tenten stood in front of the three men and took a deep breath. "Okay. We'll come with you."

"Wise choice," one of the nobles commented. "We will be waiting outside. Take your time."

Tenten went back inside. Sakura came out of her room with two bags, one holding her clothes and a few other possessions and the other holding Tenten's Chinese clothing and childhood accessories.

"Are you sure about this?" Sakura asked both Tenten and Tsunade. "I'd really like to pound their faces in right now."

"Be mature, Sakura," Tsunade chastised. "Defend yourself only if you are faced with danger."

The rosette sighed. "Yes, ma'am."

Tenten grabbed the bag Sakura handed her, untied it, and peered inside. Two qi-paos, one white and the other red, lay inside, neatly rolled up. A black comb, decorated with a couple of rubies and a drawing of a white dragon lay on top of the clothes. The brunette reached in the bag and picked up the comb, which was the only valuable thing she remembered possessing, that was passed down from her mother._"Hi Ma Ma,"_ she mentally spoke to the comb. _"I'm about to go away to 'serve' this rich, stuck-up family. I hope I don't end up killing anyone there. Wish me luck!"_

After completing her wish, Tenten carefully placed the comb back in the bag. "Come on, Sakura," she motioned, holding out her hand just like an older sister would.

"I'm not a kid anymore, you know," Sakura said in a teasing manner.

"I still think of you as a little sister," Tenten replied, retracting her hand.

Once the two girls were outside, they said their goodbyes to Tsunade and went off with the group of police.

Although Tenten retained a calm facade, she was mentally cursing in Chinese.

"What exactly do we have to do for them?" Sakura asked the three men.

"Oh, you and the other girl aren't going to the same place," one of the men answered.

Tenten's ears perked up. She growled, "What do you mean, we're not going to the same place?"

"You, Tenten, will be going to the Hyuugas. This girl," the same man motions to Sakura. "Will be going to another clan."

"You never said that was part of the deal!" Sakura yelled.

Tenten patted Sakura's back, motioning her to calm down, although she was just as furious as her friend. "So, what will we be doing for them?"

"You will be the ladies in waiting."

A long pause followed. As Tenten's body trembled, she asked, "So, we have to… be a nobles' personal assistant."

"Yes."

"Are we required to wear…" Tenten paused then painfully spat out, "a jūnihitoe?"

"Most likely, since you are going to be representing the nobles."

_"Hyuuga, Neji, you…are…one…dead…man!" _

* * *

**Chapter two, done! =) For everyone's information, a "****jūnihitoe" is a type of kimono that is worn by the noble ladies and the ladies in waiting of the Heian era. It literally means "twelve layered robe". So you can probably imagine how heavy and hot the person wearing a jūnihitoe must be. O_o That explains Tenten's fear of wearing it. xD **

**Since the poll's still open, I'll write out the options again.**

**A) NejiTen with SasuSaku as a side pair**

**B) SasuTenJi triangle with NaruSaku as a side pair**

**C) NejiTen with NaruSaku as a side pair**

**D) SasuTenJi with SasuSaku as a side pair in the end**

**Please review and tell me your thoughts, either about the pairings or about this story! ^_^ I really get motivated by your reviews. =) **


	3. The First Day

**I'd like to thank the people who voted and reviewed! =D They make me happy. Now… the poll's closed! ^^ Even if your desired pairing didn't win, I hope you will still follow this story. =) This chapter is dedicated to everyone who read, reviewed, favorited, or followed this fic! ^^**

**AND I'm so sorry for not updating for so long. I've been super busy with three AP classes and college applications. I'm practically going crazy! Now, enough with my ranting. Please enjoy the third chapter.**

* * *

**Surviving the Nobility**

**Chapter Three: The First Day**

"Where are we?" an irritated Tenten asked the Uchiha police.

The group was now in front of a large, traditional Japanese style mansion composed of three main buildings with one large courtyard in the middle. "This is the mansion of the famed trio," answered one of the policemen. "The Yamanaka, Nara, and Akimichi families."

"I didn't know they lived together," mumbled the Chinese brunette. "I suppose Sakura will be staying here?"

"Yes." Saying so, one policeman took Sakura's arm and led her to the entrance, ignoring the rosette's protests and threats.

"He will introduce the girl to her new household," another policeman said to Tenten. "You will continue with us."

Sighing, Tenten let them lead her away once more.

* * *

"Hyuuga-dono, we have arrived."

The two remaining Uchiha policemen presented a scowling Tenten to the young Hyuuga. "We meet again," Neji commented, while maintaining a stoic expression.

"Yes, again," Tenten replied through gritted teeth.

"We shall take our leave now." The Uchiha police bade the young Hyuuga farewell and took their leave.

"So…" Tenten started. "When do I get to kill you for making me and my friend do this?"

"You will do no such thing," Neji growled, looking straight into Tenten's eyes. "For now, you will assist Hinata in training and in general."

"Training? In general?" Tenten asked, tilting her head to the side in confusion.

"Yes. We you will be her opponent during her training. At other times, you will stay by her and help her whenever she tells you to," Neji answered.

"Who's Hinata anyway?"

The male twitched a little and slowly averted his eyes. "She is my cousin." After a long and awkward pause he finished. "And the one who will succeed as the next Hyuuga head."

Tenten grinned wryly. "Ah, and you're jealous because the next in line is a girl."

When Neji's stubborn mouth refused to offer a reply, Tenten decided to lighten the mood by saying, "I'm still going to get you back for dragging me here."

"Empty threats don't work against me, woman," Neji finally retorted, his pearl-like eyes meeting her chocolate brown ones again. "While you are here, know your place." As he walked away, he ordered, "Follow me."

_"I can't believe I'm going to be ordered around like a servant now,"_ Tenten mentally sighed. _"I hope Hinata is a good person, at least."_

* * *

"U-Um, i-it's nice t-to meet you. My name is H-Hyuuga, Hinata."

Tenten stared at the timid girl in front of her, her petite frame almost swallowed by the_jūnihitoe _she was wearing, while her long, dark blue hair cascaded down her back. Tenten's eyes then wandered to the person beside her, Neji, and the first thought that floated into her mind was, _"Neji is jealous of this shy girl?" _

"It's nice to meet you too, Hinata…sama," Tenten responded, deciding to address her formally in case Neji decided to give her a long lecture on treating the Hyuuga nobles properly.

"Hinata-sama, this girl," Neji started.

"Tenten," the Chinese girl interrupted.

"This girl," Neji continued, ignoring the former's comment. "Will be your lady in waiting, and training partner."

"Ah, yes," Hinata said. "B-But Neji-nii-san, w-was it really n-necessary to t-take her away f-from her family by f-force?"

"There is no need to be concerned about that, Hinata-sama," Neji assured her. "You now have a lady in waiting, which was what Hiashi- sama wanted."

"Um, y-yes," Hinata replied timidly. "I-I'll take my leave now." Saying so, Hinata bowed, slid open the _shoji _doors, and gracefully walked away.

"I thought you said she was the next head," Tenten reminded.

"I did."

"Then why is she so polite towards you?" Tenten asked. "From what I know, the subordinates are the ones who have to show respect to the leader."

"That is not for you to know," Neji answered. Before Tenten could reply the Hyuuga had already wandered off.

"You didn't even answer my question!" The female brunette yelled. "Wait, I don't even know where my room is! Get back here Hyuuga, Neji!" In the end, the only sound that answered her was the light breeze that blew through the open _shoji_ doors.

* * *

After wandering around the Hyuuga palace, and getting lost most of the time, Tenten finally became familiar with the different pathways. As she sat down, with her back against a wall, she stared out at the courtyard, then raised her eyes to the sky, where the full moon shone brightly.

"I hope you're doing better than I am, Sakura," Tenten murmured. Her eyelids got heavier, and heavier, when finally, she let them cover her irises, sending herself immediately, into a deep sleep.

* * *

The chirping of birds and small rays of sunlight woke the Chinese brunette from her sleep. Once she opened her eyes, she realized she was no longer sitting outside, but rather lying down on a comfortable futon in a room.

"Oh, y-you're awake."

Recognizing the voice, Tenten immediately sat up and looked beside her. Hinata was sitting on the floor, looking at Tenten with her pearl-like eyes.

"Hinata-sama!" Tenten exclaimed while scrambling to her feet. "Were you here long?"

"Not really," Hinata replied. "My cousin found you right outside y-your assigned room, asleep. S-So he carried you i-in here."

"You don't mean Neji…do you?" Tenten asked.

"Y-Yes, Neji-nii-san did," the shy girl replied.

"We aren't even good acquaintances. He would never help someone who picked a fight with him earlier on." Tenten then pointed to herself after she finished speaking.

"E-Even though he may not seem like it, Neji-nii-san i-is kind in h-his own way," Hinata defended.

"Hinata, he is the most sexist man I have ever met," Tenten honestly said. "You're the next head aren't you?" The timid girl nodded in response. "Then how come he can boss you around?"

Hinata's face turned solemn and her eyes wandered to the side. "I-I'm merely a figurehead. I-It's my younger sister who the elders h-have decided would be th-the real head. If the p-people of Heian-kyo f-found out th-that a child w-was going to be th-the next head, they w-wouldn't accept it at all."

"Your sister is just a child?" Tenten asked.

"Yes," Hinata whispered. "I am n-nothing but a f-failure to the family."

Tenten stayed silent for a while, knowing that just trying to comfort her won't do any good. Comfort and mere words wouldn't make her into a real leader. Instead, Tenten suggested, "I'll train you!"

"H-Huh?"

"I'll help you get stronger so that you can at least prove to your family that you're not weak," Tenten repeated.

"Y-You're willing to h-help me?" Hinata squeaked.

"Of course!" Tenten beamed. "Us girls need to stick together, y'know."

The timid girl smiled faintly and bowed her head slightly. "Thank you, Tenten-san."

* * *

"You're doing alright, Hinata!" Tenten commented, holding a kunai in her right hand. "Don't dodge too much and attack a bit more."

"Okay," Hinata panted.

"Do you want to try defense instead, then?" Tenten suggested.

"I-In what way?"

"I saw Neji use a technique that's practically perfect for defense," Tenten replied. "He spun around a created a dome of chakra that's able to reflect anything. Well, it can repel a hoard of weapons."

"O-Oh, that technique," Hinata muttered. "I'm sorry, but I-I can't do that yet. The members of the main house a-are only supposed to know that t-technique, a-and yet, I can't…"

"Oh. Then, do you want to stop for today? We've been training for quite a while now. Your dodges are good though, just work on your attacks next time."

"Y-Yes," Hinata answered. "Thank you f-for taking the time to t-train with me."

"I want to help," Tenten said. "Don't worry about it."

"Um, I-I'll go and get changed now." Saying so, the shy Hyuuga gracefully walked back to her room.

Tenten smiled, satisfied with the first day of training. Then, as soon as she turned around, her good mood faded, as she found herself face to face with the infamous Neji.

"She will never succeed as the next head if she continues this low level 'training'," Neji commented, with his arms folded.

Maintaining her composure, Tenten replied, "Well, I'm having her build her confidence first."

"A Hyuuga should not have any problems with fighting," Neji continued.  
"Well, I'm helping her as much as possible. If you don't like the way I do things, why don't you send me back to my home?" Tenten challenged.

The male Hyuuga stared at Tenten with emotionless eyes. "Do as you wish," he replied, before walking past Tenten.

"_He probably knows Hinata's just a figurehead anyway,"_ Tenten mentally told herself. _"What's up his butt?" _

* * *

"U-Um, Tenten," Hinata started, shyly playing with her fingers.

"Yes, Hinata-sama?" the brunette answered.

"C-Can you please just call me Hinata?" the shy girl requested.

"You sure your rampant cousin won't mind?" Tenten teased.

"A-As long as I don't mind, r-right?" Hinata answered.

"Sure, why not?" the brunette said. "So, what is it, Hinata?"

"Um, w-will you c-come with me to the hot springs later?" Hinata asked. "I-I got invited by the Yamanakas, w-well, Ino Yamanaka, to be exact, a-and I want you t-to accompany me."

Tenten gave Hinata a smile and relied, "Sure, I'll come with you! A friend of mine's actually at the Yamanakas too."

"O-Oh really?"

"Yes. We've been living together in the town ever since we were children," Tenten explained. "Her name's Sakura. If she's there, I'll introduce her to you."

Hinata simply nodded and continued, "Th-The hot spring even it actually m-more like a gathering o-of the youths of most powerful clans i-in this city, since w-we're very close friends. Do you mind i-if Neji-nii-san is there?"

"As long as he doesn't piss me off," Tenten replied.

"O-Oh, alright then. I hope you'll get along with him then," Hinata said.

"Hm, I doubt it, but I'll try to get along with him," Tenten promised.

"Thank you, Tenten."

* * *

"Hinata!"

A yellow blur raced dashed towards Hinata and enveloped the shy girl in a hug as Neji and Tenten stared.

"H-Hello, Ino," Hinata timidly greeted.

The blond girl released Hinata and continued, "We haven't met up in a while. How're things going with you?"

"Um, okay, I g-guess," Hinata replied. "Ino, th-this is Tenten, my newest l-lady in waiting."

"You must be the one Sakura talks about all the time," Ino mentioned. "I'm Ino. Yamanaka, Ino."

"Nice to meet you, Yamanaka-sama," Tenten politely greeted, sensing Neji's gaze boring holes in her back, as if ordering her to be as polite as possible.

"You can just call me Ino," the blond offered.

"Ino! Don't just dash off and leave everything with me!"

Recognizing the familiar voice immediately, Tenten perked up and spotted a pink haired girl running her way. "Sakura!" the brunette called out.

Once the rosette spotted Tenten, she smiled brightly and gave Tenten a hug. "Nice to see you again!" Sakura enthusiastically said.

"Sakura, did you leave Shikamaru and Choji behind?" Ino asked.

"Yeah. They actually told me to come and get you," Sakura answered.

"We're still missing two people," Ino murmured.

"Sakura and I can wait for them here," Tenten offered.

* * *

"How's your new home?" Sakura asked Tenten.

"Hinata's really nice," Tenten answered. "She doesn't have much self-confidence though. I'm trying to fix that."

"Typical Tenten," Sakura teased. "You're a real feminist."

"Speaking of being feminist, you should hear that sexist Neji degrade women," Tenten complained. "He just doesn't accept the fact that women can be as strong as men, mentally and physically."

"Well, every person has his own opinion," Sakura shrugged.

All of a sudden, a blond blur came running from afar, and screeched to a stop right in front of Tenten and Sakura, making dust fly about. Standing in front of the two girls was a blond boy about their age with his hands on his thighs, bent over, panting like he'd just run a marathon.

"S-Sorry for being late," the blond boy apologized. He looked up and stared at the two girls in front of him. He smiled at them, particularly Sakura, and continued, "You two are the new ladies-in-waiting, right? I'm Naruto. Uzumaki, Naruto. Nice to meet you two!"

"The others are already inside," Tenten motioned. "We're going to wait for the last person to arrive."

"Oh, about that," Naruto started. "He said he's not coming."

"I suppose that's the infamous Uchiha, Sasuke?" Sakura asked.

"Yeah," Naruto confirmed. "Most girls are crazy about him."

"How come he's not coming?" the rosette asked again.

"He's not the most sociable person in the group," Naruto answered. "He said he'd rather stay at home and train with his family. So you two should probably come inside."

"Okay," Tenten swiftly accepted.

"Thanks for inviting us in," Sakura replied.

Naruto then slid the door open and the three of them walked in. Naruto and Sakura walked on, leaving Tenten to close the door. As Tenten slid the door shut, her eyes spotted a shadow and a pair of eyes for a second. When she blinked, the shadow was gone.

"_My eyes must be playing tricks on me,"_ Tenten thought, as she shrugged off the sight and shut the door.

* * *

**Yes! I'm finally done with the third chapter! =D The voting process's done, and I've decided on the pairings. So, please review! Tell me what you think, and please don't hesitate to give constructive criticism. Again, please review!**


	4. Double Trouble

**Hello again! Thank you, to the people who reviewed, favorited, and followed my story. ^^ I lost interest in "Naruto" for quite a while, but now I'm back, and I felt like updating ****Surviving the Nobility****, so here I am! Enjoy this chapter, and please don't forget to review!**

* * *

**Surviving the Nobility**

**Chapter Four: Double Trouble**

"I miss Tsunade-sama," Tenten muttered. She and Sakura were in the reception area, standing against a wall and chatting, while waiting for the nobles to finish soaking in the hot springs. "If she was here, I'd train every day with her and then I'd definitely defeat that obnoxious Hyuuga."

"You really can't stop talking about Hyuuga, Neji can you?" Sakura teased.

"Only because I can't stand his sexist opinions," Tenten retorted. "Anyway, how's your new home?"

"Ino's a fun person. She's not shy like Hinata, and she's not afraid to voice her opinions," Sakura answered. "Noblewomen are supposed to remain silent and follow whatever orders the men of the house give out, but if something's unfair, Ino will speak out. Because she talks back, most other noblemen disrespect her."

Tenten rolled her eyes. "Typical noblemen. The girl has some backbone and the men think that's a bad thing?"

"Shikamaru and Chouji are different, though," Sakura continued. "They're Ino's childhood friends, and both of them support her. At least there're still some sensible noblemen out there."

Before their conversation could go any further, Hinata, dressed in a purple _yukata_, walked towards the two girls. "Um, Tenten, c-can you accompany me back home?"

"You're going back so soon?"

"Y-Yes. My father s-said he doesn't want me gone f-for too long," Hinata murmured. "H-He also wants me to attend the meeting t-today."

"Alright then," Tenten agreed. "You'll be fine, won't you, Sakura?"

The rosette gave Tenten a thumbs up. "Of course. Besides, I doubt I'll be in any danger here."

"Okay," Tenten replied. Then, turning to Hinata, she said, "Let's go, Hinata."

* * *

"Th-Thank you, Tenten. I'm sorry for t-taking you away from your friend," Hinata apologized, once both girls arrived at the Hyuuga mansion.

"It's fine. You should get to the meeting, Hinata," Tenten reminded. Nodding, the dark haired girl trotted off, leaving Tenten along in the open compound. Looking around, the brunette sighed. "Well, I might as well train by myself."

Tenten walked to her room to get her weapons. While searching for her _kunai, shuriken,_ and scrolls, her eyes fell upon the black comb that was once her mother's. She reached for the comb and ran her thumb over the studded rubies. Bringing the comb to her chest, she closed her eyes and thought in Chinese, _"Ma Ma, I'm at my new home right now. It's been a couple of days since I arrived, and I like the mistress already. Her name's Hinata, and she's a very timid girl. I thought she was the next leader, but it turns out that she's only a figurehead. I wish I could see you once again, Ma Ma. I always admired your strength and how you thought women could be as strong as men. I'll always keep training, so that I can be as strong as you and my trainer, Tsunade-sama." _

After the brunette opened her eyes, she placed the comb on her folded qi pao, grabbed her weapons, and headed to the training grounds. As she was walking and turned a corner, a small body bumped into her abdomen. She glanced down, and saw a mop of long brown hair.

"_A mini-Neji?" _was Tenten's first thought.

The child lifted her head and gazed, emotionlessly, at Tenten. Her pearl white eyes bore into Tenten's chocolate brown ones. Tenten stared back, not knowing what the child expected her to do.

"You're my sister's new lady-in-waiting, right?" the child asked.

"Yes, I am. My name is Tenten." Tenten said, then added mentally, _"You look more like Neji than Hinata." _

"I am Hyuuga, Hanabi," the young girl replied. Her white eyes trailed from Tenten's face to the bag in her hand, which contained her weapons. "You are going to train?"

"Ah, yes," Tenten answered. "Would you like to join?"

Hanabi, after a moment of silence, answered, "No thank you. I need to go to the elders' meeting." Saying so, she brushed past Tenten and walked away.

"_Such a serious girl,"_ Tenten thought. _"She must be stressed. Why is such a young girl chosen to be the next head?"_ Shrugging, Tenten kept walking to the training grounds.

* * *

Tenten landed on the ground softly and let her unrolled scrolls fall at her sides. Various weapons littered the training grounds and about a dozen _shuriken_ were stuck in the bulls-eye of a dummy. Panting, the brunette observed the mess she created. _"That's going to take quite a while to clean up_," she thought, as she started rolling up her scrolls.

Just as she finished putting away her second scroll, Tenten felt someone tug at her clothes. She turned around and faced Hinata, who looked like she was about to cry. Before Tenten could ask Hinata what happened, the dark haired girl spoke, "The elders decided th-that I need to get married. They s-said as a pseudo leader, I-I need to show the people that there's a man beside me."

Tears threatened to spill from Hinata's face, and Tenten could even feel the Hyuuga's pain. "I'm guessing you can't talk back to them."

"N-No, I can't. The elders control e-everything. I-I can't even take control of my own life," Hinata whimpered. "I-I can't even choose the person I want to spend the rest of m-my life with."

"Who's your fiancé then, Hinata?" Tenten asked.

Fat tears rolled down Hinata's face as she answered, "Neji nii-san."

Tenten blinked once, then twice. Then, she pinched her own cheek and stared at Hinata. "He's your cousin," were the only words the brunette could mutter at that moment.

"Yes," Hinata whispered. "They expect m-me to marry my own cousin. It may be a c-common practice in noble families, b-but I don't a-agree with it. I-I don't want to do it!" As she kept talking, Hinata's small voice got louder and louder. She ended her talk with a short sniff and wiped the tears off her face with the back of her hand.

"Does Neji know about this?" Tenten asked.

"No. H-He wasn't called to the meeting."

"So they arranged this before even consulting you two? I'd give them a piece of my mind, but then again, I'm only a lady-in-waiting," Tenten commented.

"Th-They want Neji nii-san and me to get married as soon as possible, b-but at least they l-let me decide the d-day," Hinata continued.

"I still can't believe they're making you marry your own cousin," Tenten murmured. Observing Hinata carefully, Tenten asked, "Do you already have someone you love, Hinata? Is that why you're overly upset?"

Hinata froze. Her lips were pressed together tightly and she lowered her head a little, hiding her blush and tears. "I-I do," Hinata whispered. Then, she quickly added, "I-I'm going back to my room. You don't h-have to follow me, Tenten. I-I want to be alone for now." Hinata then ran past Tenten and back to her room.

* * *

"What are you still doing here?"

Tenten, who was sitting on the grass at the training grounds, lifted her head to see the one and only Neji staring down at her. "What do you want, Neji?"

"It's evening," was his only reply.

Tenten looked up at the sky. Hues of orange and red colored the sky as clouds floated along lazily, and a couple of birds flew by. "Evening already, huh?"

"What are you doing here?" Neji asked again.

"I was training," Tenten replied, not knowing whether she should tell Neji about Hinata.

"The whole time after you got back?" Neji asked. Tenten didn't answer. A breeze blew by, and after a few minutes of silence Neji demanded, "What really happened?"

"You'll find out later," Tenten said, deciding to not tell him yet. "It's not my business to tell."

"If it's something about me, it's my business to know," Neji retorted. "Now, what happened?"

Not wanting to argue with Neji anymore, Tenten snapped, "Your elders want you and Hinata to get married!"

Neji stared blankly at Tenten, then muttered, "If it's the elders' decision, I can't do anything. The best choice is to go along with it."

Tenten gritted her teeth, jumped up, and grabbed a fistfull of Neji's clothing. "Hinata's depressed, this is clearly unfair, and you don't even want to do anything about it! Aren't you a man? Why don't you stand up for yourself?"

"Someone of my status cannot defy the elders," Neji calmly replied. "It is the way our world works. They are the masters, and I am merely a caged bird."

"Caged bird or not, you're a human too! You have your own opinions and ideals. I've heard that marriage within the family is not rare for nobles, but Hinata really doesn't want to go through with this! Do you want to make her suffer?" Tenten yelled. "You may be okay with it, but Hinata's…"

"I do not agree with their decision, and I will never be able to see Hinata as a wife," Neji interrupted. "However, I already said that no one can defy the elders. Their word is final."

Tenten released her grip on Neji's clothing and threw an unexpected punch to his face, making Neji fall on his side. "Y'know, I'm beginning to think you don't have a soul. You're just like a puppet, and the elders are the puppet-masters, pulling your strings whatever way they choose. You don't fight against their decision because you have never experienced love. If you have, you'd be just as upset as Hinata is." Without another word, Tenten bent down, took her bag of weapons, and strutted back to her room, leaving Neji on the ground.

The brown haired Hyuuga pushed himself up and stared at Tenten's retreating back and mentally said, _"You do not understand how suffocating it is to be a nobleman, Tenten. You speak your mind because you are not afraid, because you have had freedom. It's better to not involve yourself with our family matters." _

* * *

Tenten sat up from her bed with her eyes wide open. Sunlight shone through the windows and birds greeted the day with some chirps. Before the brunette could roll up her _futon_, the _shoji_ doors suddenly slid open and a pink haired girl entered the room.

"Sakura? What're you doing here?" Tenten asked while shielding her eyes from the light.

Closing the doors, Sakura answered, "Ino came over to ask Hinata about her arranged marriage."

"How did the news spread so fast?"

"Apparently the noble families are very well connected," Sakura replied. "Anyway, Ino told me yesterday, about what she heard. It's harsh for Hinata, especially when she already has someone else she loves."

"How'd you know that?" Tenten asked again.

"Ino knows. She told me. Now she's trying to talk to Hinata to ease the situation. Ino's the type who'll talk back, but her family is not as strict as Hinata's. Who knows what she's planning for Hinata," Sakura commented.

"Speaking of Hinata, I'm going to go check on her." Just as she was about to head out the door, Tenten looked down at her clothes and felt her long, messy hair. "After I change my clothes and fix my hair."

Sakura nodded and opened the doors. "I'll wait outside," she said, then stepped out, and closed the doors.

Tenten walked to where her folded clothes were placed, picked up her white qi pao and spread it out. Once she finished sliding on the Chinese dress, she took her mother's black comb and started brushing her hair. Instead of rolling her hair up in two buns like she usually does, Tenten decided to roll it up in one bun at the back of her head. As a finishing touch, she neatly dug the black comb in the bun. _"For today, Ma Ma, you can stay with me." _

Tenten went outside, saw Sakura, and walked to Hinata's room. Tenten loudly asked Hinata, from outside, whether she could come inside. Once Hinata's timid voice gave her permission, Tenten and Sakura slid the doors open and stepped inside. Ino and Hinata were sitting on the floor, with two cups of herbal tea in front of them.

"How's the situation, Ino?" asked Sakura.

"The elders are pushing her too much. I was thinking that if both Neji and Hinata talk to the elders reasonably, then they'd have a slight chance of changing the elders' minds," Ino answered.

"That coward, Neji, is going to go along with whatever the elders say," scoffed Tenten.

"You t-talked with Neji nii-san?" Hinata shyly asked.

"Yeah, I did, and I have to say, he lacks backbone," Tenten criticized.

"A-At least you were able to t-talk with him," Hinata said. "H-He never talked with any of my past ladies-in-waiting. I-I'm glad you were able to get h-his opinion, Tenten."

Ino's head suddenly perked up, as if an idea popped into her head. "Hinata, does your cousin have anyone he loves, or at least likes?"

"N-Not that I know of. Wh-Why?" Hinata asked.

"If we can make him see what it feels like to fall in love, maybe he'll gain some sense," Ino suggested.

"Pft, like that person will ever fall in love," Tenten muttered.

"Why do you hate him so much Tenten?" Sakura asked.

"His actions just make me mad," said Tenten.

"I-I think it's pretty i-impossible for Neji nii-san to fall in love with s-someone," Hinata mentioned. "He rarely t-talks to any outsiders."

"You're forgetting there's someone in the Hyuuga house who recently arrived," Ino reminded. Her baby blue eyes then shifted in Tenten's direction. Sakura and Hinata followed Ino's gaze and stared at Tenten as well.

The brunette stuttered, "Y-You're not really thinking of using me, are you?"

"You're the best choice right now," Ino said. "Plus, Hinata said Neji talks to you, so maybe we can improve your relationship with him starting now."

"If he doesn't push you away," Tenten murmured.

"No, if he doesn't push **you** away, Tenten," Ino cut in. "I think it's worth a try. At least it'll buy some time. Hinata can only stall her answer for so long. Getting Neji to agree with us will come in handy."

"I don't think this is gonna work," Tenten commented, unconfidently.

"We'll make it work," said Ino. Turning to Sakura, she continued, "Hey Forehead, you're definitely gonna help, alright?"

"Of course, pig," Sakura agreed. Tenten and Hinata looked at them, slightly surprised by the nicknames they call each other by.

"I'll talk to Hinata a bit more, then I'll go back home. You can stay with Tenten the whole day if you want Sakura. You have my permission," said Ino.

With a nod and a wave, Sakura slid open the _shoji_ doors, grabbed Tenten's wrist, and pulled her outside.

* * *

"Do you wanna visit Tsunade-sama?" Tenten suggested. "I wanna see how she's faring without us."

"Sure, why not?"

The two girls exited the Hyuuga mansion and made their way into town, where their old home stood. Tenten and Sakura talked about their new families as they walked. Suddenly, just as they were about to make a turn at a corner, a black haired and agile figure dashed past them. Sakura's eyes closed on instinct, and when they opened again, Tenten was no longer beside her.

"_What in the world…?" _

* * *

**And, there you have it, chapter 4! =D Any guesses on who the person who kidnapped Tenten is? =3 Feel free to leave your guesses in your reviews! If possible, again, please give me some constructive criticism. Also, is Neji's and Tenten's relationship progressing slow or do you think it's going at a good pace? Please tell me your opinions, my readers! =D **


	5. Revelation

**Thank you all for your reviews! ^^ A few people guessed who Ten's kidnapper is correctly. Who is it, then? Well, you'll find out in this chapter. ;) Please enjoy! **

* * *

**Surviving the Nobility**

**Chapter Five: Revelation**

"Ow!"

The black haired man dropped Tenten once they were in a narrow alley. The brunette quickly jumped up and was about to reach for her weapons, when she remembered that she didn't bring them.

"Please, don't panic," the man assured. "I am not going to hurt you."

Tenten narrowed her eyes at the man. Him kidnapping her, his bowl shaped haircut, overly thick eyebrows, and unusual tight, green suit were suspicious enough, and now he's telling her to not panic?

"What do you want from me?" Tenten asked.

"My name is Rock Lee," said the man. "I'm glad I finally found you."

Tenten took a step back cautiously. "And what do you need me for?"

"Do you really not remember me?" Lee asked.

"I have never seen you before," Tenten replied.

"I see," muttered Lee. "So you have lost all of your memories…"

Once she heard the words "memories", Tenten suddenly became more alert. She rushed forward, grabbed the front of Lee's suit and asked, "What about China? What can you tell me about my past?"

"I do not want to overwhelm you right now," said Lee.

"No, I want to know," Tenten pressured. "All my life, ever since I arrived in Japan, I have never known what happened to me, or how I arrived here. Please, tell me about my past." Her voice quieted down to a whisper as she loosened her grip on Lee's clothing.

"Do you not think that you should get back to your friend first?" Lee suggested.

Tenten blinked a couple of times and squeaked, "Right! Sakura!" Focusing her attention back on Lee, she said, "You're coming with me."

* * *

Tenten tightened her grip on Lee's wrist as she pulled him through the crowd of people. Both of them ignored the stares that the people were giving Lee as they continued to search for Sakura.

Finally Tenten muttered, "Maybe she's at Tsunade-sama's already." Without another word, she dashed to Tsunade's house, dragging Lee with her.

The brunette knocked on the door a couple of times. The wooden door squeaked open, and standing on the other side was Tsunade and Sakura. "Tenten?" Sakura spoke.

Tsunade glanced behind Tenten and continued, "I see you've caught your own kidnapper."

"Well, he's not really a bad person," Tenten murmured. "Anyway, this guy knows about my past, and I want him to tell me everything he knows."

"I see," Tsunade said calmly. "If that's what you want, go ahead. Come inside."

Once Tsunade closed the door, Tenten invited Lee to sit down at the wooden table. Unfortunately for her, the black haired man wasn't listening to her, since he was busy talking to Sakura. The rosette looked uncomfortable and, by looking at her face, Tenten knew Sakura was about to punch the guy if he didn't stop talking. To save the guy from falling unconscious, Tenten quickly grabbed Lee's shoulders and steered him to the low table, and sat him down.

"Now, start talking," said Tenten.

Lee hesitated at first, but then gave in to her wishes. "As I have already said, my name if Rock Lee, and we were close friends. Since you were a little….overly active for a girl, your mother decided to have me teach you how to defend yourself. However, you were more interested in weapons than physical fights."

"I remember my mother giving me my first blade," Tenten muttered. "For some reason, I have a few memories about my mother, but I still don't know what happened to my family and how I ended up in Japan."

"That comb in your hair," Lee pointed out. "That was your mother's wasn't it?" Tenten nodded yes. "It was easy to spot you because of that comb. I have been searching for you for a few months now."

"How did you know that I was in Japan though? And how come you can speak Japanese if you came from China?" Tenten asked.

"I was born in Japan, but my trainer sent me to China," Lee answered. "Your mother was a very kind person. I was very upset when the enemies raided the palace."

"What palace?" Tenten quickly asked.

Lee looked at her and replied, "You're the princess, Tenten. You are royalty."

Tenten stared at Lee for a moment. Sakura came up behind her, sat down, and waved a hand in front of her face. "Tenten? Are you conscious?"

Tenten shut her eyes and violently shook her head. "There's no way I'm royalty! I already have a grudge on a certain noble here, and I hate how their lives are. How in the world am I royalty?"

"Your mother didn't agree with the strict life of royalty either. That is why she decided to raise you in an environment with more freedom," explained Lee. "However, you father didn't really like it. He didn't agree with your mother, but he didn't do anything to stop her either."

"So, how did I get to Japan?" Tenten continued to ask.

"It was a raid. An unknown clan attacked the palace and killed everyone they found. Your mother managed to escape, but your father was killed when he tried to buy your mother time to escape. The enemies ran after your mother, but she was able to get you, and me, aboard a boat. Before the boat set sail, your mother handed you a small bag with some of your belongings, removed her comb from her hair and placed it in your hair. The boat set sail, and you were calling, desperately, for your mother. She just stood there with a small smile on her face and waved goodbye. The enemies soon caught up with her though, and stabbed her." Lee flinched, picturing the painful memory.

"If you were with me on the ship, how come we got separated?" Tenten interrupted.

"We spent a really long time on that ship, and we weren't really treated well," Lee recalled. "Once we landed in Japan, both of us were lost. I vaguely remembered where my trainer lived, but I did not know how to get there. So, we travelled together, trying to survive. However, at one point, we lost each other. I was at a river, collecting water, and when I got back, you were gone. I suppose you know what happens to you next?"

"Yeah. Somehow, I got to this town and met Sakura, and now, here I am," Tenten continued. "Wow, that's…a lot of information." As soon as she finished her sentence, her eyes closed, and she fell forward, facedown, on her table.

Sakura scooted beside Tenten and pulled her back. Tsunade came over and Sakura lifted Tenten on Tsunade's back. The blond woman carried Tenten to her old room. The rosette then turned to Lee, whose eyes were literally sparkling, and spoke, "So, what are you going to do now?"

"Believe it or not, the people who attacked Tenten's family is in Japan now. They must have followed us somehow, or they could originally be from Japan," replied Lee. "I have to make sure that no harm comes to Tenten. You, my lovely cherry blossom, should also be cautious."

Sakura backed away from Lee and slowly said, "Yeah… Well, both of us can fight, so…it'll be fine."

"Do not let your guard down," Lee warned. "The enemy may be closer than we think."

"Why are they still after Tenten?" Sakura asked, from a safe distance.

"They believe that her family holds the most unique scrolls in the world," Lee answered. "And I am sure Tenten has them."

"What scrolls?" Sakura asked again.

"There are two of them, and they are known as the Twin Dragon Scrolls.' Lee paused for a while, then continued, "However, only Tenten's family is able to use the scrolls. Only her family's blood is accepted."

"And what do those scrolls do?"

"They give the user the ability to summon any weapon out of thin air," Lee answered. "That is its main use, but no one, except the elders of Tenten's family, knows what else the scrolls are capable of."

"You mean they can be dangerous?"

"Yes, if they are not used properly. Right now, Tenten is the only member of her family who I know is still alive. If the enemies still have not given up on getting the scrolls, then they will search for, and capture Tenten."

"How would they even know what Tenten looks like?" Sakura questioned.

"They definitely saw her when she was on the boat, narrowly escaping their clutches," Lee said. "Tenten's face didn't change much; they will probably recognize her."

"Problem is, we don't know who they are, do we?" Sakura gravely stated.

Lee nodded. "That remains a mystery."

Sakura stayed silent. At that moment, Tsunade came out of Tenten's room and said, "I think you should stay here, Lee. Tenten and Sakura are working at two noble families' houses, and they can visit me sometimes. So, it would be convenient if you wanted to keep an eye on Tenten."

"Oh, it's okay. I need to get back to my trainer now anyway. Gai-sensei will be expecting me," Lee replied. "Thank you for your offer though. I am glad to see that Tenten is doing well."

"I'll keep an eye on her as much as I can," said Sakura. "It'll be a little hard though, since we're in different houses now."

"I'm sure Tenten can defend herself well," Tsunade reassured. "If things get out of hand, you can always come to me."

Sakura nodded, and Lee spoke, "Thank you again, for your offer. I will be going now. When I have the chance, I shall come back. Goodbye, Tsunade. Farewell, my sweet cherry blossom, Sakura!" Lee then swiftly went out the door while Tsunade tried to hold back her laughter when she saw a shivering Sakura.

* * *

"_Ma Ma! Please come on board!" a small girl yelled. A comb rested in her brown hair, which was rolled into a bun, and her friend held her small body back, a young boy with black hair and thick eyebrows. The boat started travelling, and the mother's figure started to grow smaller._

_As final gestures to her daughter, the brown haired woman on the shore simply smiled and waved. The young girl on the boat had tears streaming down her face, shouting and begging for her mother to come with her. _

_All of a sudden, three other people came up behind her mother. Two of them held her down while the other pulled out a dagger and stabbed her. The young girl cried at the top of her lungs as she watched the three people carry her mother's body away. The cries died down as the boat drifted further and further away from the shore…_

* * *

Tenten sat up quickly. Beads of sweat rolled down the side of her face and she brought her hand to her forehead, brushing away strands of hair that were stuck on her skin. _"That was…a part of my past…Why did I only dream of it now?"_

Tenten got up and out of her bed and walked out of her room. Tsunade and Sakura were sitting at the low table. There were two fish in front of them, and both females had their hands over the fish. A green glow surrounded both of their hands, and after a while, the half-dead fish surprisingly came back to life, wriggling on the table. Once they were done, Tenten walked over to them with her mouth slightly open, and said, "How did you do that?"

Tsunade and Sakura looked back at Tenten. Tsunade replied, "It's my Mystical Palm technique. I tried to teach this to both of you when you were younger, but it was too hard. Do you want me to teach this to you?"

Tenten thought for a moment and declined Tsunade's offer. "It's fine. I want to become a master at handling weapons, so learning how to heal is not really my thing. That's a really useful technique though. You're one of the few people in this town who can do it right?"

"Yes. Only a select few can perform this technique. Sakura seems to be one of them," Tsunade praised.

Sakura stood up and spoke, "Tenten, I think we should get back to the Hyuuga mansion."

"How long was I unconscious for anyway?" Tenten asked.

"A really long time," Sakura replied.

"I'm gonna go back to the Hyuuga mansion," Tenten stated. "I need to use their training grounds to clear my head."

"Hold on, I'm coming with you." Sakura finished up her healing process, jumped up, and joined Tenten. Tsunade bid them farewell as she slowly closed the door.

* * *

**Okay, so that chapter took a while… but blame the addictiveness of Harvest Moon: Tale of Two Towns, and Harvest Moon: Grand Bazaar! X3 I am seriously in love with these two games. Bachelors, bachelors, everywhere. =D Well… anyway, please review! **


	6. Let Me Introduce You

**I'm back! A big thank you to everyone who reviewed my story, and here's the next chapter. Enjoy reading, everyone! =)**

* * *

**Surviving the Nobility**

**Chapter 6: Let Me Introduce You…**

"Good job, Hinata!" Tenten praised with a smile. "You're making a lot of progress. With more time, I think you'll be able to do Neji's _Kaiten_! Your technique is different though."

"Th-Thank you, Tenten," Hinata replied with a bow. "A-Actually I'm trying to create a different move that similar to Neji nii-san's _Kaiten_."

"Good for you!" Tenten praised. "Your move is very useful. It can be used for both offense and defense."

"Th-That's what I'm trying to perfect."

"I applaud your effort, Hinata. You're a very strong girl, despite what your family says," Tenten said. Then, she continued, "I think it would be a good idea for you to rest tomorrow. I don't want to pressure you with a lot of training."

"Okay," Hinata agreed. "I need t-to attend a meeting w-with the elders as well, pertaining to my m-marriage."

Tenten's smiling face fell, immediately feeling sorry for the dark-haired girl. "Oh, I see. Well, Sakura, Ino, and I will definitely try to stop it. Don't worry."

Hinata nodded, then walked off to soak in a bath that was already prepared for her by other servants. Tenten packed her weapons and scrolls, then slowly walked back to her room with her head down, lost in thought about Hinata's arranged marriage.

"Didn't Hinata-sama's training go well?"

Tenten raised her head and found herself face to face with none other than Neji.

"What do you want?" Tenten snapped.

"Why are you so rude?" Neji retorted. "I am merely asking if Hinata-sama's training went badly."

"Sorry," Tenten apologized reluctantly. "No, Hinata's training went really well."

"Then why do you look so lost in thought?"

Tenten's mind drifted to Hinata's arranged marriage, but what she said was, "It's nothing."

"Lying will get you nowhere," Neji replied.

"Why do you care?" Tenten asked.

"Because Hinata-sama deeply cares about you, she has also requested me to be more…friendly towards you."

"Ah," was Tenten's response. "Well, thanks for asking, but I need to get back to my room."

Neji merely nodded and walked past Tenten while she rushed to back to her room.

* * *

"Hey, you're back!" greeted Sakura. The rosette and her mistress, Ino, were sitting in Tenten's room, waiting for the brunette's arrival.

"What are you two doing here?" Tenten asked.

"We need to act fast if we don't want Hinata to end up getting married to someone she doesn't love," Ino answered. "So we're here to help make you pretty."

"You know I'm sweaty from training right?" Tenten pointed out, gesturing to her whole body.

"We know," Ino replied. "That's why we're dragging you to the hot springs to relax first, then to my mansion for the next stage."

Seeing Tenten's frightened face, Sakura assured her, "Don't worry, Ino's not going to go crazy and bombard your with girly clothes."

Hearing Sakura's words, Tenten's tense shoulders relaxed a bit. Before Tenten could say anything, Sakura and Ino each grabbed one of Tenten's arms, and dragged her out.

"At least give me freedom of choice!" Tenten yelled.

"Nope, sorry. You're the only one who can get Neji's trust and attention," Ino denied.

"Sorry, Tenten, but you want to help Hinata too don't you?" Sakura asked.

"I do, but I'm sure there's another way," Tenten said.

"Are you backing out?" Ino growled. "Y'know, this is why we're dragging you. Plus, Sakura's insane strength really helps hold you in place."

"Yes, I'm sure," Tenten murmured. She let her body fall limp as Ino and Sakura kept dragging her to the hot springs.

* * *

"There, wasn't that refreshing?" Ino asked as the three girls exited the changing room.

"It was, but I'm still reluctant on going to your mansion," Tenten said. No sooner has she said it, that Ino placed a bottle of fragrant liquid under Tenten's nose. The brunette's eyelids slowly fell and she collapsed. Sakura caught her friend before she hit the floor.

"Was that really necessary?" Sakura asked.

"Well, we have to get her to my mansion somehow," Ino replied. "Carry her, Sakura."

"Why me?" Sakura questioned.

"Because I said so, and you're my lady-in-waiting." Ino smiled, and happily skipped out of the building, leaving a very annoyed Sakura with a bag slung over on one shoulder and an unconscious Tenten on Sakura's back.

* * *

"_Tenten, you must not go there!" A young boy with black hair and bushy eyebrows warned as he caught up to his friend._

"_But MaMa's in there, and she promised to spend the day with me," Tenten said. _

"_The Emperor is busy with political matters, Tenten, and he needs the Empress by his side to help him make some decisions," Lee explained. He soon found that his words fell on deaf ears, since Tenten was already slowly opening the door to her father's room. _

_Lee quickly stopped her by clamping his hand down on her wrist. "Lee, why are you stopping me?" Tenten whispered. _

"_You cannot just barge in on the Emperor's meeting, Tenten," Lee chastised. "You're going to take over the throne someday, so please, take your mind off of having fun for one minute." _

_Surprised, Tenten's chocolate brown eyes drooped down. Now feeling guilty, Lee said, "I-I went too far. I'm sorry, Tenten."  
"No, you're right. I'm the successor to the throne of China. I should be strong. I cannot act like normal children." _

"_I'm not saying you can't have fun," Lee corrected. "I just want you to consider other peoples' situations." _

"_Yes, I understand," Tenten replied. "Thanks for keeping me in line, Lee."_

_Just as the two children were about to go, Tenten overheard her father's voice accompanied by a loud bang. _

"_We will __**not**__ just give up our land. I am sorry, but no negotiation will work." _

"_Emperor, I advise you not to be to stubborn," a second voice continued. _

"_Tenten, what are you…" Lee started, but was cut off by Tenten slapping her hand to his mouth as she kept listening intently. _

"_You do not know how hard we have worked, how hard our people have worked, to get this country to the way it is now?"_

"_We are not even asking you to give up the whole country, Emperor. We are merely asking for a portion of it."_

"_Our country is still our country. This conversation ends here." As the emperor sat up to leave, the empress stopped him. _

"_Darling, do we really want to anger their clan?" the empress whispered. _

"_I have nothing else to say," the emperor commented. _

_Tenten heard the unknown person chuckle softly. Then, he murmured a short sentence in a language that wasn't Chinese. All of a sudden, chaos ensured. Young Tenten's eyes widened as the events unfolded swiftly; burning buildings, screaming people, and most importantly, her own mother dashing out of the room and carrying Tenten away, with Lee following close behind. _

"_This can't be happening," young Tenten wept. _

* * *

Eyelids fluttered open, revealing a pair of chocolate brown irises. Tenten sait up and held her head, thinking about the dream she just had.

"Ah, you're awake," Ino commented, and plopped down beside Tenten.

"What did you do to me?" Tenten asked.

"Ino's an expert on flowers and well-known for her aromatherapy," Sakura started. "I just didn't expect her to know how to make people unconscious with fragrances either."

"Anyway, let's get you ready for your meeting with Neji!" Ino happily announced.

"Sure," Tenten agreed, her mind still on the dream she had.

"What happened?" Sakura questioned, once Ino starting working on Tenten's hair.

"Something strange," Tenten whispered. "I think I remember something from my past. Not a very pleasant memory, though. I'll talk to you about it later."

Moments later, Ino finished styling the brunette's long hair. She smiled, proud of her work, and handed Tenten a mirror. Instead of two buns, Tenten's long hair was now neatly rolled up in one bun. Tendrils of hair fell on both sides of her head, and putting the bun in its place is a beautifully decorated hairpin.

"The hairpin's mine, so I'd like it back after today," Ino reminded.

Just as Ino was about to rummage through her clothes, the door slid open to reveal Shikamaru. Ino grabbed the nearest object, which happened to be her pillow, and flung it at Shikamaru, who caught it easily. "Knock before coming in, Shikamaru!"

"Karin wants to see you," Shikamaru stated, ignoring Ino's first comment entirely. "And Sasuke's with her."

"Ah, of course," Ino sighed. "Has she come to rub this in my face **again**?"

"How would I know?" Shikamaru answered. Ino was about to throw another object at him, but Shikamaru already slid the doors shut.

"Sorry Sakura, Tenten," Ino apologized. "I gotta go greet my guests."

"From your tone, she doesn't sound very welcome here," Sakura stated.

"Yeah, I don't really like her," Ino confessed. "I mean, she's fine when she's alone. Karin's a dependable woman, and she works hard."

"Then why don't you like her?" Sakura asked.

"She and I like the same person, a noble named Sasuke," Ino started.

"You don't mean the infamous Uchiha, Sasuke?" Sakura said.

"Yes, Uchiha, Sasuke," Ino admitted. "Both of us were head over heels for him. Who can blame us? He's a nobleman **and **he has the looks of a lady killer."

"Didn't you tell me that he has a really bad attitude?" Sakura reminded.

"Yes, yes, but that was after I snapped out of my little dreamland," Ino retorted. "Anyway, both of us were crazy about Sasuke, and we ended up treating him like an object, having competitions to who would eventually get Sasuke."

"I'm guessing she won?" the rosette said.

"She did not win!" Ino snapped. "Sasuke's family thought it was time for him to get married, and at that time, the clan Karin was in was closest to their family. Orochimaru, one of the most influential people in this town, is somewhat like her surrogate father. He and the Uchihas had very close ties, so when he heard that the Uchihas were trying to find a bride for Sasuke, Orochimaru introduced Karin."

Just as Ino finished talking, the doors slammed open again, but this time, instead of Shikamaru, a smiling redhead stood outside. "Hello again, Ino."

"How many people are gonna come in my room without knocking?" yelled an exasperated Ino.

"Oh, who are they?" Karin asked, gesturing to Sakura and Tenten.

"My friends," Ino quickly answered.

"They don't seem to be nobles," Karin commented. "Are you friends with servants?"

"They are not servants, they're my friends," Ino retorted.

Right when Karin was about to reply, a deeper and smoother voice interrupted, "Karin, why did you bring me here?"

Behind Karin, a tall man with spiky black hair and onyx colored eyes appeared. Karin's expression immediately softened and she wrapped her arms around the man's torso. "Sasuke-kun, I just wanted Ino to know about our engagement."

"I've heard about it from you more times than I can count," Ino muttered.

"Ino why don't you tell your maids to prepare something to drink for Sasuke and me?" Karin said.

"They…" Ino started, but was quickly interrupted by both Tenten and Sakura.

"We are **not** servants!"

"You two aren't wearing clothes that noblewomen usually wear," Karin pointed out.

"Okay, Karin, I think you and I should go talk somewhere else," Ino interrupted, immediately getting between the redhead and the two ladies-in-waiting. "Sakura, can you take care of Sasuke?" Without waiting for Sakura's answer and ignoring Karin's protests, Ino pushed Karin out of her room.

"Go on, I'll be fine," Tenten assured her friend. Sakura nodded slowly, walked over to Sasuke, and closed the door. Tenten lied back down, thinking about her dream.

"_That person was definitely Japanese,"_ Tenten thought. _"'Then, let it be war' was what he said. So he initiated the attack on my home." _Plagued by her thoughts, Tenten closed her eyes and let herself drift back to sleep.

* * *

Meanwhile, Sakura, who was walking side by side with Sasuke, was also trying not to keep glancing at him. _"Ino, I really with you would've told me how attractive the infamous Sasuke Uchiha is."_

Wanting to break the awkward silence, Sakura started, "Uh, I've heard Ino talk about you." Seeing his ice cold stare made Sakura immediately wish that she hadn't said anything. So, she immediately changed the subject. "My name's Sakura. Haruno, Sakura."

The Uchiha said nothing, and even sent another glare at the rosette. Now Sakura was slowly getting angry. "I'm trying to be nice here. The least you can do is to say something back." Sakura immediately put both hands on her mouth, realizing that she just raised her voice to a nobleman.

"I have no obligation to talk to you, servant," was Sasuke's reply.

"I am **not** a servant!" Sakura yelled, not caring that she was talking to a nobleman anymore. "I am Ino's lady-in-waiting, and her close friend."

"Does Ino always take her girls off of the streets and make them her ladies-in-waiting?" Sasuke said.

Sakura felt herself turn red, not from embarrassment, but from anger. Without thinking, she reached out and grabbed the front of Sasuke's clothing. "Listen, you may be a nobleman, but I will not tolerate you trash talking me or Tenten!"

Indifferent to her yelling, Sasuke merely grabbed Sakura's wrist and ripped her hand away from his clothes. Even when she had let go of his clothes, he still had a tight grip on her wrist. "Do not talk back to me, girl." He then forcefully released Sakura wrist and walked away.

"Such a jerk," Sakura muttered, while rubbing her wrist. Although she already knew about his rotten personality, she still couldn't help staring at the young Uchiha's back. Realizing her actions, Sakura slapped her cheeks and muttered to herself, "Come on, Sakura. He may be really, really, really attractive, but a rotten personality's going to get him nowhere."

Even then, Sakura's eyes still wandered to Sasuke's retreating figure. She took in a huge breath, breathed out, and ran to Sasuke. _"Ino gave me a job to do, and I'm going to finish it._"

The rosette ran in front of Sasuke, blocking his path, and bowed. "I'm sorry, I was out of line. I apologize." Raising her head, Sakura continued, "Now, please follow me to the courtyard. Ino would want you to wait there."

"I can take care of myself," Sasuke replied, and walked past Sakura, even bumping her.

The rosette's hand swiftly reached out and grabbed Sasuke's clothes again, but this time, before the Uchiha had time to do anything else, Sakura dragged him with her. "Let go of me, girl."

"I'm not going to. Ino asked me to escort you, so I'm doing my job. And my name is not 'girl'. It's Sakura. Or if you prefer to call me by my last name, it's Haruno."

"Hn," was Sasuke's reply as Sakura kept dragging him to the courtyard.

Once they reached the peaceful area, Sakura released Sasuke and said, "That wasn't so bad, was it?"

"Hn."

"Is that your signature grunt or something?" Sakura questioned.

"What are we doing here?" Sasuke changed the subject.

"Waiting for Ino," Sakura answered.

For the next few minutes, the two of them sat in complete silence, with Sakura stealing glances at Sasuke now and then, even after she told herself to stop.

"Why do you keep looking at me?"

Sakura's head shot up and slowly turned in Sasuke's direction, meeting his dark eyes. "Uh well, you're pretty?"

"Hah?" The Uchiha's confused expression almost made Sakura giggle.

"That came out wrong," Sakura corrected. "I meant you look, uh, um, very…attractive."

"Hn."

Sakura curled up in a fetal position and mentally screamed. _"What the hell did I just say?! Am I crazy? I must be out of my mind! Why did I just compliment a person who has such a rotten personality?!"_

"Sasuke-kun!"

Sakura looked up from her curled position to see Karin running towards her and Sasuke, with Ino casually walking behind her. Once Karin got close enough, she pounced on Sasuke and wrapped her arms around him. The Uchiha sighed and pried the redhead off of him.

"I'll be going now," Sakura said. "Excuse me." She stood up and started to walk back to Ino's room, but her friend stopped her.

"Sakura, you're staying here and accompanying me," Ino commanded, as she pulled the rosette down to sit. "Now, I suppose you know Sakura now, Sasuke?"

"Hn. She's very persistent," Sasuke replied.

As Ino, Karin, and Sasuke talked amongst themselves, Sakura sat, not knowing a word of what they were discussing. _"Politics is confusing,"_ the rosette thought.

* * *

"Bye Ino! It was nice talking to you," Karin said as she merrily waved goodbye to the blonde with one arm while she had her other arm wrapped around Sasuke's arm.

"Yeah, bye," Ino muttered. Once Karin and Sasuke left, Ino turned to Sakura and sighed. "I feel like she sucks away my energy every time she comes here."

"You'll be fine. Usually you have too much energy anyway," Sakura teased.

"Hey girls," Tenten interrupted. She came up to Ino and Sakura and continued, "I'm going to go back to the Hyuugas now. It's already evening anyway."

Sakura and Ino looked up, only realizing now that the sky was painted in a red and orange hue with the sun setting below the horizon. "Time flies. I didn't realize it was evening until now," Ino murmured. "Oh well. I'll give you a make over some other day, then!"

"See you two," Tenten bade, then left Ino's mansion.

* * *

Once she arrived in her room, Tenten tried to sleep early. She tossed and turned in her _futon_ but sleep never arrived. A few hours passed and she still couldn't fall asleep. So, she grabbed her weapons, changed into more comfortable clothes and headed to the training grounds. When she neared the training grounds, she heard the sound of multiple training dummies being attacked.

"_Who's training at this time of night?" _the brunette thought.

Tenten heard the person stop attacking, and in the next second, she was thrown against the wall. Then she felt a whoosh of air as her attacker forcefully extended his arm, but stopped, with his hand pointed directly and within mere centimeters at her throat.

"Oh, it's you."

Tenten, whose eyes were squeezed shut, opened them once she recognized the familiar masculine voice. "Neji, what are you doing?"

"I am merely defending myself."

"I didn't even do anything!" Tenten retorted.

"I cannot take any chances at night. There are still people who attempt to kidnap or murder Hinata-sama." Neji replied while lowering his defenses.

"There are actually people who want to kill Hinata?" Tenten asked. "She's such a nice girl!"

"That does not matter with them. What matters is that she is supposedly the next heir to the Hyuuga family. Many people would love to gain money, or more importantly, the secret of the Byakugan," Neji answered. "Therefore, I cannot let any intruder leave the Hyuuga compounds alive."

"You do care about Hinata in your own way, huh," Tenten said.

"I am merely fulfilling my duty as a branch member," Neji replied.

"I don't get you, Neji. My first impression of you was not very pleasant, but for some reason I feel like you do have a softer, more understanding side to you. You don't seem to care about Hinata, but that's because you don't show it. Are you just bad at expressing yourself?" Tenten asked.

"My feelings are none of your business," Neji snapped.

"So you really are willing to go through with the marriage," Tenten muttered. When she didn't receive an answer, she continued, "Why don't you try thinking about the situation for yourself instead of for the elders?"

"Because that is what I am destined for. I will forever be a bird trapped in the cage that the elders designed," Neji answered.

"Well birds in cages long for freedom too," Tenten said. "Why don't you try grasping your own destiny with your own hands?"

"You do not understand my position," Neji murmured, his expression softening. "I do not have the power to do that."

Tenten smiled unknowingly. Because she has never seen this side of Neji before, she raised her hand instinctively and placed it lightly on Neji's head, patting it a couple of times. Neji's expression immediately changed to one of irritation. "What are you doing? Are you mocking me?"

Tenten quickly withdrew her hand and shook her head while laughing. "No, no. It's just…I'm surprised you actually have a soft side. I thought I was wrong, but I wasn't."

Neji frowned and turned his head the other way. "I feel like a fool."

"Aw come on, you just vented out your pent up feelings. It's a form of catharsis, and it's a good thing," Tenten explained. "If you coop up your negative emotions too much it can affect your physical and mental health, y'know." When she didn't receive a reply from Neji, Tenten suggested, "Hey, why don't we spar? At least some exercise will get your mind off the subject."

"I was training, until you interrupted," Neji reminded.

Tenten waved her hand and continued, "Yeah, yeah. And now I'm offering to spar with you…Unless you're scared that I've become stronger than you."

"Let's spar," Neji challenged, as he made his way to the middle of the training grounds.

"That's better," Tenten said as she took out her scrolls.

* * *

"Come on, Neji! You don't seem like you're giving it your all. Or did you really get sloppier?" Tenten provoked as she jumped in the air and unleashed a plethora of weapons at Neji.

The male brunette took his defensive stance and created a spinning dome of chakra, defending himself from Tenten's weapons. "Do not provoke me, Tenten."

"Attack me with all you've got! I can defend myself!" Tenten assured, when her feet touched the ground. Just after she finished her sentence Neji appeared right in front of her. Tenten was just about to launch her own attack as well as create a defense strategy when her brain failed to respond.

"_Ma Ma…Ma Ma…" a young brunette cried softly. Images of fire, burning buildings, and screaming people filled her head as she cried. "Japanese people…are the worst!" _

The next few minutes passed in slow motion for Tenten. One second Neji's face was right in front of hers. Then, instead of defending or even attacking, Tenten's body froze once the memory hit her. As a result, Neji's _Jukenpo_ (Gentle Fist) hit her straight in her midsection, sending Tenten flying and knocking her unconscious.

After attacking, Neji suddenly realized that Tenten froze just as he was about to hit her. Feeling a pang of guilt along with worry, he walked over to Tenten's body. _"I think I used too much energy,"_ Neji thought.

Looking around and not seeing anyone in sight, the male brunette took a breath and sighed while looking down at Tenten. He then bent down and lifted Tenten. One of his hands supported her back while the other supported the back of her knees. _"This…is strange,"_ Neji thought as he silently carried the limp Tenten back to her room.

Once he got to the _shoji_ door, one he balanced Tenten's body with one hand while he used the other to quickly slide the door open. Inside, he laid Tenten down on the ground gently while he spread out her rolled up _futon_. After preparing the _futon_, Neji picked up Tenten again and set her softly on her _futon_.

"I will have someone heal you tomorrow," Neji promised. After that, he silently exited the room and slid the door shut.

"Huh, he is kind after all," Tenten murmured as she lied on her _futon _with one eye slightly open. Satisfied with her newly discovered information, Tenten closed her eyes and soon drifted off to sleep, temporarily forgetting about the pain and the memory that suddenly attacked her in the middle of training.

* * *

**Well, this chapter is definitely longer than my other ones…I thought that I really should update since I haven't written anything in so long. . Lol, the funny thing is, I'm writing when I really should be studying for my AP exam. xD I have one tomorrow and another one in 5 days. Yeah…my timing is **_**great**_**!**

**Again, please review and tell me your thoughts! Constructive criticism is much appreciated. ;) **


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